Roarhide Rampage
by Shadow RangerDisclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. They belong to the current copyright holder.
Roarhide Rampage
On the moon, Rita Repulsa's palace loomed beneath a gloomy sky, its jagged towers clawing toward the stars. Inside, Rita paced her throne room, her staff clutched tightly in her hand. Her loyal servant Finster shuffled into the room, holding a small clay figure.
"Ah, Finster," Rita said, her voice sharp. "Tell me you've come up with something good. The last monster didn't even last five minutes against those meddling Power Rangers!"
Finster bowed slightly, his snout twitching. "My queen, I've been revisiting my archives of prize-winning creations, and I believe I've found the perfect candidate. You remember Roarhide, don't you?"
Rita's face lit up with a wicked grin. "Roarhide? Oh, I loved Roarhide! Didn't it win us that intergalactic tournament years ago?"
"Yes, my queen," Finster said, holding up the clay model. "It was one of my finest works. A hybrid of lion and rhinoceros, with a hide as strong as steel and a roar that could shatter mountains. I've made some… enhancements this time."
Rita clapped her hands together, her voice gleeful. "Perfect! The Rangers won't stand a chance against my precious Roarhide. Make it grow and send it to Angel Grove immediately!"
Finster bowed again. "As you wish, my queen."
Moments later, Goldar and Squatt joined Rita on the balcony as Finster's Monster-Matic churned to life, spitting out the enlarged, fully-formed Roarhide. The monster's horns gleamed like polished metal, and it let out a thunderous roar that shook the palace.
"Go, Roarhide!" Rita shouted, pointing her staff toward Earth. "Destroy those Rangers and make Angel Grove tremble!"
It was a quiet afternoon at Ernie's Juice Bar, the unofficial hangout of the Angel Grove High students—and more importantly, the headquarters for the five teens who secretly protected the world as the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Kimberly Hart sat at a table, lazily poking at her smoothie with a straw. Across from her, Zack Taylor leaned back in his chair, his foot tapping to a rhythm only he could hear.
"I'm telling you, Zack, if my mom asks me one more time why I got a B on that history quiz, I'm gonna scream," Kimberly sighed, finally taking a sip from her pink smoothie.
"Girl, same," Zack said with an exaggerated groan. "My dad pulled the old, 'You need to be more focused on school than goofing off with your friends.' Like, how am I supposed to explain that 'goofing off' is me saving the world from evil space aliens?"
Kimberly smirked. "Exactly. Like, sorry my grades slipped because I was a little busy protecting the planet from giant monsters."
"I know, right?" Zack replied. He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Do you think Zordon would write us a note or something? 'Dear Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, Zack isn't slacking, he's just fighting Rita's creepy space minions. Sincerely, a giant floating head.'"
Kimberly giggled, but their lighthearted moment was interrupted as Billy Cranston, Trini Kwan, and Jason Lee Scott walked up to join them. Jason, ever the leader, was already in "business mode."
"You guys might want to finish those smoothies fast," Jason said, crossing his arms.
"Why?" Kimberly asked, sitting up straight.
Jason nodded toward the TV mounted above the counter. A news report was playing, and the screen showed a shaky video of a massive figure lumbering through a dense forest. The caption beneath the footage read: "Giant creature spotted in Angel Grove Forest." The reporter's voice came through faintly over the buzz of the Juice Bar.
"Eyewitnesses describe the creature as a mix between a lion and a rhinoceros, with metallic horns capable of breaking through trees. The forest is being evacuated, and officials are investigating."
"Uh oh," Zack muttered, standing up to get a closer look.
Billy adjusted his glasses. "If I had to hypothesize, I'd say this has Rita written all over it."
Jason nodded. "Definitely one of her monsters. We'd better check with Zordon and see what's going on."
Kimberly sighed as she grabbed her bag. "Great. Another trip to the desert."
Zack groaned. "Yeah, because nothing says 'easy to explain to my parents' like sneaking off to the middle of nowhere for hours at a time."
"Part of the job," Jason reminded them. "Let's get moving."
"Jason's right," Trini said. "We don't know how long it'll be before this thing makes it into the city."
The team piled into Jason's beat-up Jeep, which they used whenever they needed to make the trek to the Command Center. As they bounced along the dusty trails into the desert, Kimberly stared out the window.
"You know," she said, "this whole being-a-Ranger thing is amazing, but it's exhausting. My parents are already suspicious, and if they find out I've been skipping out on school stuff to drive out to the desert, I'm toast."
"Same here," Zack said. "I keep having to come up with excuses for why I'm gone so much. 'Uh, yeah, I had to help Billy with his science project again… for the third time this week.'"
Jason glanced at them through the rearview mirror. "I get it, guys. It's not easy, but we're doing something important here. If we don't stop Rita, who will?"
The conversation trailed off as the familiar rocky spires of the desert came into view. They parked the Jeep and made the short climb to the Command Center, its doors sliding open as they approached. Inside, Zordon's giant floating head greeted them with his usual calm authority.
"Rangers, I'm glad you've arrived. Rita has unleashed a dangerous new monster—Roarhide."
The Viewing Globe lit up, showing an image of the creature. Its lion-like mane bristled with energy, and its rhinoceros horns looked sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Roarhide is highly durable," Zordon explained. "Its metallic hide can withstand most attacks. You will need to weaken it using your Blade Blasters before attempting any more advanced strategies. Be cautious, Rangers—Roarhide is as cunning as it is strong."
Jason nodded. "Understood, Zordon. Let's take this thing down."
The Rangers stepped back into formation, raising their Power Morphers. "It's Morphin Time!"
The Power Rangers arrived in the forest just outside Angel Grove, the air heavy with the smell of splintered wood and churned earth. Trees had been toppled like matchsticks, and deep gouges in the ground marked Roarhide's path of destruction. It wasn't long before they spotted the monster, standing in the middle of a clearing.
Roarhide was even more intimidating in person. Its steel-like hide gleamed in the sunlight, its lion's mane bristling with an almost electric energy. The two massive horns jutting from its rhinoceros-like snout gleamed, and every step it took sent vibrations through the earth.
"Look at this thing," Zack muttered, flipping his Blade Blaster into its blade form. "I'm guessing he's not here for a picnic."
Roarhide roared, the deafening sound echoing through the forest. The shockwave from its voice shook the trees and forced the Rangers to cover their ears.
"Stay sharp, team," Jason commanded. "Spread out and keep it distracted. We'll hit it from all sides."
The Rangers leapt into action. Jason charged forward with his Blade Blaster, using the weapon to parry Roarhide's swinging claws. The monster was fast despite its size, lunging at him with one of its horns. Jason barely managed to roll out of the way as the horn buried itself into the ground, sending dirt flying everywhere.
"Over here, big guy!" Zack called out, flipping into the air to draw Roarhide's attention. He spun his Blade Blaster around like a staff, landing a quick strike against the creature's armored shoulder. Roarhide roared in frustration and swiped at him, but Zack danced out of its reach.
While Zack and Jason kept the monster busy, Kimberly and Trini moved in from the sides, firing energy blasts from their Blade Blasters in pistol form. The blasts struck Roarhide's hide, creating sparks but doing little damage.
"This thing's armor is no joke!" Kimberly shouted as she flipped back to avoid a swing from Roarhide's claws.
"Keep at it!" Trini said, firing another shot. "Zordon said we need to weaken it first."
Billy, meanwhile, had positioned himself in a tree, analyzing the monster's movements. He adjusted his glasses as he called out, "The armor on its chest appears to be the thickest. Aim for the joints and underbelly—it's the most vulnerable!"
"Got it!" Jason called back. "Team, focus your attacks on those weak points!"
The Rangers adjusted their tactics, firing concentrated blasts at Roarhide's knees and sides. The monster stumbled slightly, roaring in pain as sparks flew from the targeted areas.
"Nice!" Kimberly said. "Looks like we're making progress."
But Roarhide wasn't going down without a fight. It slammed its fists into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling outward. The force knocked the Rangers off their feet, and the creature used the opening to charge at Jason, its horns aimed directly at him.
"Jason, look out!" Trini shouted.
Jason rolled to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the charge. Roarhide's horns smashed into a boulder, shattering it into pieces. The monster growled in frustration, turning to face the group again.
"We're not making enough progress!" Zack said, helping Kimberly to her feet. "This thing's too tough."
Jason gritted his teeth, gripping his Blade Blaster tightly. "We need to keep it distracted until we can regroup. Everyone, stay on it!"
After several minutes of battling, the monster began to show signs of wear. Sparks flew from the cracks in its armor, and its movements were slightly slower. But before the Rangers could press their advantage, the skies above darkened, and Rita's mocking laughter echoed through the forest.
"Nice try, Rangers!" she cackled. "But you know what time it is—magic wand, make my monster grow!"
The Rangers looked up just in time to see Rita hurl her golden wand from the moon. It streaked through the sky like a comet before striking Roarhide, bathing the creature in a blinding light.
"No way," Kimberly said as the ground shook violently beneath them.
The monster began to grow, its already massive frame expanding until it towered above the treetops. Roarhide let out an earth-shaking roar, its metallic horns glinting ominously as it stomped through the forest.
Jason clenched his fists. "It's Zord time! Let's call the Dinozords!"
The team raised their hands to the sky. "We need Dinozord power, now!"
The ground quaked as the Dinozords arrived, each one thundering into the battlefield. Jason climbed into the cockpit of the Tyrannosaurus Dinozord, gripping the controls as the giant mechanical dinosaur roared to life.
"Alright, big guy," Jason said to the Zord. "Let's show Roarhide what we're made of."
The Tyrannosaurus charged into the clearing, its massive jaws snapping as it confronted the giant monster. Roarhide roared back, lowering its horns and charging to meet the Zord head-on. The two titans collided with a deafening crash, their strength evenly matched.
Jason maneuvered the Tyrannosaurus to dodge a swipe from Roarhide's claws, countering with a powerful tail whip. The blow struck Roarhide in the side, sending the monster stumbling back a few steps.
"Nice shot!" Zack cheered from the sidelines.
Roarhide wasn't done yet. It unleashed a deafening roar, followed by a blast of energy from its horns. The attack struck the Tyrannosaurus head-on, forcing Jason to steady the Zord.
"Come on, we've got this," Jason muttered, adjusting the controls. "Tyrannosaurus, power stomp!"
The Zord reared back and slammed its massive foot into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked Roarhide off balance. Seizing the moment, Jason activated the Zord's finishing attack.
"Tyrannosaurus, fire blast—now!"
The Tyrannosaurus opened its jaws and unleashed a fiery energy beam. The attack struck Roarhide directly in its weakened underbelly, creating an explosion of sparks. The monster let out one final roar before collapsing to the ground and exploding in a massive fireball.
Back at the Command Center, the Rangers stood before Zordon, exhausted but triumphant.
"Excellent work, Rangers," Zordon said. "You have once again proven the power of teamwork and determination."
"Yeah, but I'm not sure my parents are going to accept 'saving the world' as an excuse for why I haven't done my homework," Zack said with a wry grin.
Kimberly sighed. "Same. I'm already trying to figure out what to tell my mom when she asks why I missed dinner."
Jason smiled, patting them on the shoulders. "Hey, it's not easy, but it's worth it. Besides, we'll figure it out—just like we always do."
The team shared a laugh, their bond as strong as ever. As they teleported back to Angel Grove, they knew the battle was far from over. But as long as they had each other, they were ready for whatever Rita threw at them next.
End